Diversity Initiatives

Turkey: Independent Women Directors (IWD) Project

Egon Zehnder partners with Sabanci University in the Independent Women Directors (IWD) Project

In 2012, Sabancı University (SU) celebrated the launch of its ‘Independent Women Directors (IWD)’ project aimed at increasing the number of independent women directors in Turkey. Egon Zehnder is a strategic partner in the IWD project which aims to develop a database of women across Europe who are ready to serve on corporate boards. As of 2015, the database has some 300+ Turkish women who fit board ready criteria. In 2013, the project achieved the maximum score in a blind review by the UN PRME’s (United Nations Principles of Responsible Management Education Initiative) review committee.

As a tribute to Egon Zehnder’s contribution to IWD in Turkey and beyond, the firm was invited to present to the delegates of the W20 Summit held in Istanbul in October 2015. In her speech, Egon Zehnder consultant Cagla Bekbolet stressed that female representation is a “demand” problem, and not a supply issue.